Hi, I’m Evangelical and I Don’t Trust You

For some time now, I’ve felt that Evangelicals in the United States (and throughout the world for that matter) are generally scared of secularism and atheism more than anything else. While Muslims and Mormons may garner much of the media attention and picketing from Evangelicals, I had an inkling that ole’ Joe or Jill Atheist was an increasingly more intimidating individual for most Evangelicals and that the specter of “secularism” and atheism was more menacing.

While sex, violence and consumerism rank near the top of the “threat countdown” for Evangelicals it is the “influence of secularism” that most terrorizes Evangelicals in the theoretical dark of the night. Conflict between religious groups, say between Muslims and Christians or Mormons and Evangelicals, barely even registers when compared to the prospect of growing secularism.

Furthermore, while it is certainly true that Evangelicals don’t hold a very favorable opinion of Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims (65-67% hold an unfavorable view of these groups) it is the Atheist demographic that garners the statistically higher unfavorable opinion among Evangelicals (70%).*

Why might this be the case?

Peter Berger, a sociologist and faculty member of Boston University, shares in his text The Sacred Canopy that religion (specifically) and culture (generally) act as protective umbrellas (nomos – order) for individuals and communities guarding them from the threat of “anomic” experiences such as death, suffering and anything else that threatens a radical separation or deviation from the culturally or religiously perceived order of life, community and the universe.

The nomos (umbrella) of Evangelical Christianity is the orderly way in which Evangelicals can understand their own lives, the lives of those around them, their country, their world and their universe. They help create it, but it also shapes them and protects them from anything “out of the ordinary” or beyond their nomic understanding. When secularism in general, and Atheism in particular, comes into the picture it packs a one-two-punch.

First, it threatens the entire nomic structure of Christianity both publicly and privately. As the influence of secularism grows in society it threatens the Evangelical belief that their nomic structure holds sway over public life and politics (thus lending more credence to the whole nomic structure as a whole). The growing influence of secularism equals the stripping of the Evangelical voice in public affairs. The power of Evangelical religion (and other religions as well) in the public sphere becomes less real power and more rhetorical power than anything else.

Secondly, the growing number of Atheists (be they friendly or not) threatens Evangelicalism’s hold on the private lives of individuals and households as well. While Evangelicalism and other religions have lost some of their power to influence public policy they still hold much sway over the lives of private individuals. Nonetheless, with secularism gaining ground in society and the number of “nones,” Atheists and Agnostics growing by the decade, Evangelicals fear that it is only a matter of time before “good Christian households” are metamorphosed into “godless heathen.”

Thus, the reaction of Evangelicals to secularism and Atheism is one of fear, distrust and unfavorable opinion. Atheists and secularists not only threaten to disrupt the Evangelical system, but to totally dismantle it from the bottom up and top down. Atheists and secularism are not easily integrated into the plausibility structure of Evangelicalism because Atheisms and a secular worldview entirely reject the world order that Evangelicals believe, teach, confess and pass on. Unfortunately this concoction of terror, suspicion and adverse attitude, at times, translates into the ostracism and persecution of non-religious individuals (whether it be real or perceived, physical or verbal).

To further compound the Evangelical conundrum with secularism and Atheisms, Atheist and non-religious individuals and groups are become more vocal with their protest. Feeling as though they were, for many years, backed into the proverbial corner, non-religious leaders and Atheists have recently decided to strike-out and strike-back with books, support groups, secularism research syndicates, a heavy-handed presence on the internet and full on publicity campaigns. They are no longer passively confronting the system.

Given the rise of the religious “nones” and the growing standing of Atheisms in the United States, Europe and elsewhere it is no surprise that Evangelicals around the world fear the augmentation and influence of secularism and hold an unfavorable view of Atheists. While I cannot forecast the future, I do hope that Evangelicals do not translate their unfavorable opinion or the perceived threat of secularism into further ostracism or potential persecution. Likewise, it is my sincere desire that Atheists and proponents of secularism in general are able to engage in positive dialogue with Evangelicals and other religious individuals (some, unfortunately, are quite brash when it comes to religion and religious individuals). As the Pew Forum report noted, religious conflict is not seen as a particularly major issue at the moment for Evangelicals. What the world does not need is ever growing religious dissension between secularists and Evangelicals.

*Nevertheless, Evangelicals do think that Atheists are generally more friendly than Muslims.